Perspective: Hopeful signs to end corruption

The following editorial appeared in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Monday:

Sen. Don Gaetz, the reform-minded president of the Florida Senate, comes from a Florida Panhandle county called Okaloosa, a county some now call “Scandal-oosa.”

Consider that in January, the Okaloosa County tax collector resigned after it was discovered he made public employees work at his private business. In September, a county commissioner was arrested for perjury and official misconduct. Last May, its Tourist Development Council director committed suicide after stealing bed tax and BP settlement money. Two years ago, its hometown speaker of the Florida House resigned after wielding his influence to benefit himself and a political benefactor. That same year, its local college president resigned after accepting public money for a private airport hangar. And in 2009, its sheriff was convicted on federal fraud and money-laundering charges.

Sadly, public corruption in Florida is not isolated to Gaetz’s mid-sized county, which is why all of Florida should be enormously grateful for his leadership in trying to end it.

Between 2007 and 2010, Broward saw 15 city, county or school board members or their family members handcuffed on public corruption charges. And in 2009, Palm Beach came to be called “Corruption County” after a string of scandals, including the arrests of four county commissioners.

Indeed, Florida ranks Number One in public corruption. Between 2001 and 2010, federal prosecutors convicted 781 politicians for enriching themselves at the public trough, according to the watchdog group, Integrity Florida.

And until now, state lawmakers have resisted all attempts to change the laws that have bred this culture of corruption.

But two months ago, when he became president of the Florida Senate, Gaetz promised to make a difference. And last week, he scored a big victory in pushing the most sweeping ethics reform law in decades.

The bill that unanimously passed its first committee would:

■ Prohibit state lawmakers from voting on bills that would line their pockets. It’s hard to imagine this is not already illegal, but it’s currently allowed, so long as lawmakers disclose their conflict within 14 days of a vote.

■ Prohibit politicians from taking a state government job after their election. Colleges and universities are especially generous in offering six-figure jobs to newly elected lawmakers, hoping their investment brings home the bacon.

■ Ban lawmakers from lobbying the governor or the Legislature for two years after leaving office. Just last year, the day after the legislative session ended, the speaker of the House became a lobbyist for companies whose businesses benefited from his votes.

■ Prohibit politicians from using political committees for personal expenses. Some lawmakers pay their living expenses from these committees, which can accept — even demand — million-dollar checks from people who want something from government.

The question now is whether the Florida House of Representatives will join the reform effort, or let a good thing die in the horse-trading over its own legislative wants.

For while House Speaker Will Weatherford is supportive of ethics reform, we’ve yet to see movement from his members, many of whom enjoy the perks of political life and don’t want to limit their possibilities.

The day Gaetz took the gavel, he handed the ethics committee chairman a copy of his hometown paper that had this headline: Gaetz Promises Ethics Reform. “He told me, I cannot go home if I do not live up to this,” recalls Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, the ethics committee chair.

He’s right. We, the people who sent Gaetz, and Weatherford and the other members of the Florida Legislature to Tallahassee to represent us, expect the highest standards of ethical conduct.

We applaud Sen. Gaetz — and Weatherford, too — for pushing meaningful ethics reform during their time in Tallahassee.

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for
following agreed-upon rules of civility. Posts and
comments do not reflect the views of this site. Posts and comments are
automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some
comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules,
click the "Flag as offensive" link below the comment.

for Florida voters to wake up, smell the roses and throw them out of office? "Indeed, Florida ranks Number One in public corruption. Between 2001 and 2010, federal prosecutors convicted 781 politicians for enriching themselves at the public trough, according to the watchdog group, Integrity Florida". Yet they keep getting reelected, continue on as career politician, and all this with the voter's blessings.